Defense turns table on witness in Ruby Rose slay

The man who led authorities to the location of Ruby Rose Barrameda's body should also be investigated for his involvement in the murder, a witness for the defense said Thursday. Eduardo Abiog, the driver of the suspects in the case, said Manuel Montero had a motive in killing Ruby Rose as the two allegedly had an illicit relationship and were drug users. In a press briefing, Abiog said Montero had asked him on a number of times to buy drugs from Ruby Rose at the JR Carwash in BF Homes, Parañaque City. He said the two were Ecstacy users. “Sinabi rin sa akin ni Montero na tuwing sila ay nagkikita ni Ruby, maliban sa ginagawa nitong pagdadala ng droga ay sabay pa silang gumagamit ng droga hanggang maramdaman nila ang luwalhati," said Abiog. (Montero told me he and Ruby Rose would use drugs together to get high.)

The body of Ruby Rose, sister of former actress and beauty queen Rochelle Barrameda, was fished out of Navotas waters encased in cemented steel case based from a tip from Montero. She had been missing since March 2007. Ruby Rose’s family, meanwhile, called Abiog’s testimony a “desperate move" by the suspects, particularly Ruby Rose's father-in-law, Manuel Jimenez Jr., and his brother, businessman Lope Jimenez. “Matindi po ang paniniwala na desperate moves na po ‘yung ginagawa nila sa pagsira po sa katauhan ng kapatid ko. Patay na po ang kapatid ko, hindi na po niya mapagtatanggol ang sarili niya," Rochelle said. (This is a desperate move to destroy the character of my sister, who can't defend herself anymore.) The Department of Justice (DOJ) had already filed murder charges against the two Jimenezes, Montero, and three others namely Eric Fernandez, Lennard Descalso, and Robert Ponce. The complaint against the victim's estranged husband, Manuel Jimenez III, was however dismissed due to lack of evidence. - GMANews.TV